What is the Mental Health Association in NJ?

• Mission
  The Mental Health Association in New Jersey strives for children and adults to achieve mental health
  through advocacy, education, training, and services. 
   

• Vision
  The vision of the MHANJ is a statewide community in which people with mental illnesses can achieve full potential, free from stigma and other barriers to care and recovery.
   

• Values
  ◘  Mental health is essential to the development and realization of every person's full potential.
  ◘  Justice demands that everyone, regardless of mental or physical disability, has the rights and responsibilities 
      full participation in society.
  ◘  Sufficient resources need to be available for a complete range of community mental health and support 
      services,  public education and preventive interventions.
  ◘  People with mental illnesses can recover and live healthy and productive lives.
  ◘  Children and adults should have access to a full array  of high quality, community-based, integrated mental
      health services, regardless of their ability to pay.
  ◘  Mental health treatments should be offered on par with other treatments for other illnesses.
  ◘  Those with mental illness, and their parents and families are unique and essential participants in providing
      advocacy, services, education and training.
  ◘  The promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental, emotional and social problems is the
      responsibility of every institution in the community.
  ◘  The MHANJ values partnerships and sees public and private sector participation as essential to community 
      mental health.   

• Story of the Mental Health Bell
  The Mental Health Bell, recognized throughout the nation as the symbol of the mental health movement, is one
  of the most distinguished bells in the world. Cast from the shackles and chains that once restrained people in mental hospitals, the bell is a dramatic representation of hope, vision and liberty for people with mental illness in our country.